Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1991
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialLow molecular weight hydroxyethyl starch 6% compared to albumin 4% during intentional hemodilution.
Intentional normovolemic hemodilution was chosen as the model to compare a 6% low molecular weight hydroxyethyl starch (LMW HES) to 4% albumin. The study ran over the plasma exchange period for 24 h. Nine patients, scheduled for abdominal aortic surgery, were included in each group. ⋯ After hemodilution, despite a significant decrease in arterial oxygen O2 content, systemic oxygen transport did not significantly vary until 24 h in relation to the increased cardiac index. An increase in O2 extraction was observed after the exchange but no further increase was observed until the 24 h. No significant changes either in global O2 consumption or in lactate concentration were detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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To clarify the clinical nature of post-resuscitation hyperthermia, we reviewed the charts of 18 patients who had cardiac arrest on arrival and regained cardiovascular stability for a study period of sufficient length. Patients with trauma, burns, poisoning and cerebrovascular accidents were excluded. We analyzed the hyperthermia (above 38 degrees C) occurring in the initial 48 h after resuscitation. ⋯ The incidence of factors influencing body temperature did not differ between the brain death and prolonged coma groups. Patients achieving full recovery did not show hyperthermia. In conclusion, hyperthermia is an early indicator of brain damage after resuscitation.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1991
Subclavian vein catheterization in critically ill children: analysis of 322 cannulations.
Complications in 322 percutaneous subclavian vein catheters placed in 272 children by the infraclavicular approach were investigated prospectively. Ages ranged from 4 days to 15 years. Incidents during catheter introduction occurred in 13 cases, and were more common when insertion was on the right side (p less than 0.01). ⋯ Staph. epidermidis isolation and duration of cannula use were statistically related (p less than 0.01). No catheter-related deaths occurred. We conclude that subclavian vein catheterization is a simple and useful procedure that entails relatively few serious complications when performed by experienced pediatricians.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1991
Comparative StudyThe cost of an intensive care unit: a prospective study.
The cost of intensive care for patients admitted to the ICU were estimated. Patients suffering from severe combined acute respiratory and renal failure who required mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy (SCARRF-D) cost per day significantly more than non-renal patients (pounds 938 compared to pounds 653 per patient respectively) and their average length of stay in hospital is nearly 4 times as long (28.8 compared to 7.6 days respectively). Approximately 44% of the total cost was staff related (28% for the provision of nurses and 16% for the rest). Retrieving information related to cost was difficult, time consuming and labour intensive.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1991
Prognostic significance of early intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressures in post-cardiac arrest anoxic coma.
The prognosis of prolonged cardiac arrests is generally related to brain damage due to the cerebral anoxia. A neurological worsening leading to irreversibility is sometimes associated with an increase in intracranial pressure. We studied for 5 years the early intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressures in 84 patients with deep anoxic coma after cardiac arrest. ⋯ Moreover, none of the patients showing intracranial peak pressures over 25 mmHg survived without after-effects. It is clear that many patients suffer early periods of high intracranial pressures and low cerebral perfusion pressures leading to a bad neurological prognosis. Intracranial pressure monitoring may allow assessment of patients' neurological status and prognosis after cardiac resuscitation.